Engine-heating apparatus



Nov. 20, 1928.

J. GOOD ENGINE HEATING APPARATUS ori inal Filed May 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A T ORNEYJ Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,297

' J. GOOD ENGINE HEATING APPARATUS Original Filed May 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y5 Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GOOD, GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR -'.l."0 GOOD mvnurrons 00., on

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENGINE-HEATIN G APPARATUS.

Application filed May 21, 1923, Serial No 640,618., Benewed November 21, 1927.

The invention relates to apparatus for iurnishing hot vaporized mixture of liquid uel operation on low grade fuel or when cold, or for assisting in their operation after starting and during the warming up period, or both, and so as to enable such engines, and particularly automotive engines, to be used with greater facility on low grade fuels than heretofore possible. The invention consists in the improved arrangements for producing and supplying such hot combustible mixture, as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof, which will be apparent to those skilled in this art.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the principle of the invention in several forms and for convenience of illustration show the apparatus partly in diagrammatic arrangement; it w1ll be understood that the physical shape of the principal parts and their relative arrangement depend on the design of the engine on which they are used and that in practice they are built in'compact and closely assembled relation, sometimes in the nature of an attachment to existing engines as herein shown and sometimes they are built into the engine carburetor.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a conventional automotive engine having one form of the invention applied to it; Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the means for supplying the hot medium of Figure 1; Figure 3 a smaller section of the burner and auxiliary fuel supply of a modified form; Figure 4 details of the safety burner vent; Figure 5 represents a conventional automotive engine having a different form of the invention applied to it; Figure 6 a longitudinal section of the auxiliary fuel supply and burner thereof.

Referring first to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the engine is supplied with a hot vaporized mixture of fuel and air through a passage 1 which may be connected to the suction intake passageway 2 in a variety of ways, either above or below the carburetor 3 as preferred but is herein shown .as connected above the throttle 4 and by means of an adapter fitting 5 which may be interposed between the attachment flange of the carburetor and that of the suction manifold.

and air to internal combustion engines.

It will be understood that the carburetor 3 is associated with the usual constant level or float chamber which. is supplied with liquid fuel from any that its throttle 4 is to be connected by appropriate linkage to a suitable throttle lever or pedal at the operators station for control of .the engine in the usual way. It is preferred to use the form of therinvention under description in connectionwith an intake manifold which is associated with the exhaust manifold 7 in such a way as tosuply such heat as may be necessa'ryto ect' the 1 engine charge mixture after the engine is under way, so that the heating arrangements about to be described will require to be kept in operation only for the initial period or on special occasions.

The passage 1 is connected to or forms part of a device constituting a source of mix ture of fuel and air which is here termed an auxiliary carburetor, inasmuch as-its func;

tion is to create and maintain a mixture of 1i uid fuel and air in pro-portions which are sli bstantially constant or at least redetermined.

per

It operates by the efiecto the we tion present in the engine intake when the englne is being turned over by the starter mechanism or is o erating by virtueofits own combustion cy cle. In the present case,

he i

and as shown in Fig. this auxiliary carburetor comprises a well 8connected by a pipe or duct 9 with the fuel bowl 6 of the mam carburetor and at about the same elevation so that the fuel level therein will occupy-substantially the sameposition as in the carburetor fuel bowl. The tube 10-, connected through its spiral with the passage 1, dips into this fuel well and is adapted to suck up liquid therefrom throug the tube 10 and is there mixed with air drawn in throughv the holes 14, thus producing a mixture of fuel liquid and air for passage through'the convolutions 11 and the pipe connection 1 to the engine intake. The

convolutions 11 h its restricted submerged open1ng'12. The liquid so sucked in passes through the small interior tube 13 into the upper part of by the inflow through the restricted opening 12, whereupon therate of delivery of fue by the tube 13 becomes constant or substantially so. The 0 ening 12 may be adjustable. The principle 0 operation of this auxiliary carburetor is not difl'erent from that-of many carburetors known to count the general arrangement has been only digrammatically shown in the drawing. It is desirable, though not strictly necessary, that the auxiliary carburetor .of' this invention shall deliver a mixture extra rich in fuel when it beginsto operate, because this is found useful in practice for a number of reasons, especially when the engine is. very cold. The communication of this carburetor with the intake passage is preferabl put under the control of the operator as y means of a valve of some sort which may be in the passage 1 or elsewhere. The devised ascapable of satisfactory operation and great durability notwithstanding the presence of a considerable degree of heat in the mediumpassing it. This valve consists of the valve proper 15, of the. poppet type loosely mounted by its stem in a sliding plunger block 16 by which it can be advanced into engagement with the seat 17, thus shutting off the connection between the engine and the auxiliary carburetor, 16 is connected by a flexible wire 18 housed in a tube 19 to a button 20 mounted on the instrument board of the vehicle and a springpressed-ball or other detent 21 is applied to the block 16 or to some part moving with it, to hold the valve in its closed position so that it is not likely to be opened, when not desired, as by the effect of a back-fire in the intake passage. This form of valve is particularly useful in controlling the flow of hot media and is claimed in a companion application.

The source of heat, associated with the auxiliary carburetor for the purpose of producing the hot vaporized mixture above referred to, consists in the present case of a liquid fuel burner supplied with fuel and combustion air by the act of the operator, either manually or otherwise, and comprising an ignition and mixing space arranged to heat the convolutions of the tube 11 above referred to. Liquid fuel is admitted to this space by the pipe or duct 22 from the fuel well- 8 above referred to and by virtue of the as irating effect of an air jet 23 supplied with uid pressure by a hand air pump 24 mounted on the instrument board at the operators station. This pump 24 is operated by reciprocating the plunger. therein and may be of any appropriate'design for this purpose, or its function may be substituted y other styles of pump,-power-driven if desired. The chamber 25 constitutes an accumulative reservoir, or air dome, adapted the art, on which acauxiliary The sliding block to absorb the pump plunger fluctuations, so that the air jet at 23 will be fairly constant in velocity. This chamber contains the pump.- By' means of the pressure of the pump, a fine spray of liquid fuel is produced within the burner and adjacent the gap of a spark plug 26, which ingnites it. Air for supporting the combustion is admitted to the mixing space, laterally, through the combustion air entrance 27, the inward flow being induced by the injector effect of a second air jet 28 connected to the air pump or pressure source, through the cross channel 29.. The entrance to the combustion air passage27 is protected by a small screen as indicated, and the air inflowing therethrough combines .with the ignited spray at a point somewhat beyond the point of lgnition and in such a manner as to produce complete combustion of all of the fuel. The flame and products of the combustion pass over or between the convolutions 11 and escape through the ex-- haust outlet 30.

This outlet is guarded against the escape of flame which might inflame the carburetor or other parts of the engine and the guarding means consists of a-stack of thin, spaced, annular plates 31 such'as shown in perspective in Figure 4. These plates are assembled concentrically casing and shrouded. and concealed by a 'cover 32 so that the. burner products must pass through the crevices between them. This sufiices to extinguish any flame without imposing an appreciable back pressure,- The spacing of the plates is formed bycrimping them in the manner indicated in Figure 4 and they and the cover 32- are all held to the burner casing by the two screws 33, making a very simple, cheap and also safe exhaust outlet. An internal baflle plate 31 is preferably mounted at .the end of the tubular coil within the burner in order to force the flame into intimate contact with the latter, but obviously the burner gases can be made to give u heat to the auxiliary carburetor in many ot er ways.

The spark plug 26, or an equivalent ignition means, is arranged to be put in operation conjointly with the opening of the valve 15 or the operation of the air pump, preferably the former, and for this purpose the housing of the push button 20 is provided with an electric switch 39, is pulled out to open the valve 15, closesthe riniary circuitof the storage battery shown in diagram and thereb produces operation of the spark coil 35, which in turn operates the igniter 26 through the wire connection 36. In place of this circuit arrangement any other ignition system can obviously be used which will suffice for the purpose.

Infthe operation of the engine above described and assuming the same to be ready for starting and to require heat for that purpose,

to the outlet of the burner Ill? buretor is-allowed to the general organization of the intake mechanism, carburetor, and the burner the operator pulls outwardly the button 20,v

through and vaporized by the hot coil, and on arrival in the engine cylinders, will fire and start the engine under 'itsown c'ycle.- continued Thereafter, the pumping may be if desired or necessary until sufiicient heat is,

developed in the engineitself to continue the When the pumpvaporization ofthe fuel. ing has been discontinued, the auxiliary carburetor continues 'in operation without the aid of burner heat/and merely contributes its mixture to that from the main carburetor, the only efi'ect of such contribution being a somewhat higher speed of the engine during the period the auxiliary carsupplement the main carburetor, This hi herf speed is not objectionable and is in aet desirable in many cases, but can be discontinued whenever desired as by closing the shut-ofl valve 15.

The modification the provision of an opening 40 leadin from the interior of the into the delivery buretor. admitting burner flame directly into contact with the auxiliary mixture for thepurpose of tube of the auxiliary carexpediting the vaporization of the liquidit does not inflamethat mixfuel therein; ture. The flame is suction effect that carburetor. As some excess of ox also be drawn in with the .flame, it may be necessary in this form, to reduce somewhat the area of the holes 14,",ifit is desired'to maintain the same proportions in the auxiliary mixture as in the othercase. The rest of the .burner construction will be recognized as identical with that above described. p f

Coming now to the form of Figs. 5 and-6,

drawn in by the same y m y and its operating mechanism will all be recognized as the same as alread described.

The auxiliary, carburetor in t i'scase is formed by a Simple tube 4.3v dipping into a compartment 44 having a restricted fuel inlet 12 from the well 8. The upperjend of this tube constitutes the fuel jet and delivers into an air passage 45 leading through the: thin walled tube 46, exposed to the flaine inside the burner casing, and thence bythe pipe orduct 47 to the valve controlled passage. 1 already described. The air pressure jets 23 of Figure 3' consists in flame space of the urner This opening is for the purpose of operates the auxiliary engine, its

28 are also arranged as described in,

connection with the previous form, and their action is also the same, the flame and products of combustion escaping from the burner casing through a baflled outlet constructed as in the previous form.

The outlet, of this burner, is provided with a gravity-seated outwardly opening check valve 48, which provides for the operation of the burner also by the suction effect of the rotating engine.- For this purpose the passa e connecting the auxiliary carburetor to the engine is rovided with a hole or passage 49 opening directly into the ignition and mixing space of the burner. When an adequate suction is transmitted to the burner through this opening, combustion air is sucked in through the entrance 27 and liquid fuel through the tube 22. This fuel dro s or flows into the small sink or well 50 in t e bottom Wall of the burner, in which one or several small drill holes are formed. The inflow of air throu h these holes creates a spray of the fuelw ich burns with the combustion airsucked in through entrance 27, and the flame and hot products of combustion are thence sucked through the passage 49 into contact with the mixture from the auxiliary carburetor, quickly preparing the latter for instant ignition on arrival in the engine cylinders, the general efiect being the same as in the form first described except that the heatin is done continuously and automatically 'as long as the engine suetion is transmitted to the burner. The mixture of the flame with the auxiliary fuel does not ignite the latter.

The proportions of this burner are such. as to provide a considerable excess of combustion supporting air beyond that necessary merely for the complete 'gonsumption of the burner fuel. Such proportions are desirable as a simple means of avoiding the tendency of explosions or .popping in the burnerand suitable for engine operation, such as may I be used with the mixture from the main carburetor, or as may be used alone when the auxiliary carburetor is madeof sufiicient size for that Purpose. i

It will be apparent that when used with an axcess air burner the auxiliary carburetor could if desired be reduced to the form of- .a simple fuel jet with nov provisionsv for mixing air with such jet except the excess air from the burner. The'resulting hot mix- .ture could in such a case have the same ultiable to light the fuel mate proportions as formerly, adapting it to be admitted to, or excluded from, mixture with the main carburetor mixture without affecting the ultimate proportions of fuel and air received by the engine cylinders.

It will be understood that the spark plug 26 has the same function in this burner as in the form first described and that it is availspray produced either by the pressure operation of the burner or by its suction operation. In the use of the apparatus described, the ordinary cranking of the engine, as by pressing the starter button 38, may create sufficient suction in the burner to result in the initiation of combustion and consequent'operation in the manner above described. The pressure source represented by the pump, however, is' available as a stand-by to be used in case the engine suction effect is not strong enough to produce a spark-ignitable spray. In very cold weather, or with a weak starting attery, the suction eifect produced in a cranked engine may be feeble and not sufficient to produce ignition of low grade fuel. The

pressure source 24 can, if desired, be operated prior to the cranking of the engine and may be operated coincidently therewith and subsequently thereto, and it may be used either for supplying both air jets 23 and 28 or merely to supply the jet 23, in which case created solely by the natural its function will be merely to reate an 1gnitable fuel spray in the burner as an assistance or booster to the suction operation of the latter. The pressure source in this form also, may if desired, be power driven, as by means of a small air pump and electric motor and the heat developed may be utilized for other purposes than that described, The term pressure as used herein and in the claims refers to'the pressure produced by the pump 24 or other pressure source, which is above atmospheric, as distinguished from the pressure difference suction of the engine intake.

In all of the forms of the inventions above described the heating device is arranged at substantially the'same level as the carburetor fuel bowl and the fuel which is vaporized by it does not require to be lifted to any considerable elevation before it is converted into vaporous form; after varporization it is of course easily carried upwardly to the in take header, and a very feeble cranking effect is therefore sufficient to supply the not claimed, is claimed engine with fuel, which by the use of the burner is converted mg mixture, the result being that the apparatus enables starting to be accomplished under the most unfavorable conditions. Certain of the matter herein disclosed, but

in co-pending application Ser. No. 640,620.

Having now described the principle of the bustion engine,

, carburetor,

into an ignitable start-- invention and the preferred method of putting the same into effect, the following is claimed:

1. The combination, in an internal comof a carburetor, an auxiliary carburetor and a liquid fuel combustion device associated with the latter, comprising a pressure means for spraying the fuel therein and an igniter, and adapted to cause said auxiliar carburetor to deliver a hot mixture of fuel and air.

2. The combination in an internal conibustion engine, of a carburetor, an auxiliary fuel jet to supply fuel to the engine, a liquid fuel combustion device adapted to heat such auxiliary fuel, a source of operating fluid pressure for said combustion device, an igniter therefor, and means independent of said carburetor to supply air for the combustion of said auxiliary fuel.

3. The combination in an internal combustion engine of a carburetor, an auxiliary carburetor and a liquid fuel combustion device adapted to cause the latter to give a hot mixture, said, device comprising an ignition and mixing space connected to: a source of fluid pressure, and an out-let for venting the combustion products outside of the engine.

4. The combination in an internal combustion engine, of a carburetor, an auxiliary and Ya liquid fuel combustion device comprising a source of fluid pressure arranged to spray the fuel and supply the air to burn the same and an igniter, and adapted to cause said auxiliary carburetor to produce a hot fuel and air mixture.

5. The combination in an internal conibustion engine, of means for producing engine-operating fuel mixture, for combustion in the engine, a liquid fuel combustion device for supplying heat to said mixture, means foroperating said device by pressure and a flame stifling outlet carried by said device adapted'to vent to atmosphere.

6. The combination in an engine of the intake passage including a carburetor, a liquid fuel combustion device associated with and adapted to heat the intake fuel mixture and an outlet to atmosphere from said device comprising a stack of spaced plates carried by said device and forming a plurality of crevices adapted to extinguish flame.

7 The combination of an engine intake, a liquid fuel combustion device associated therewith and two outlets fromsaid device, one of said outlets leading to said intake and the other to a point outside said intake.

8. The combination of an engine intake, a liquid fuel combustion device associated therewith and two outlets for combustion products from said device, one of said outlets leading to said intake and the other to atmosphere and means. for baffling the latter outlet.

the pressure therein products of said burner to the said auxiliary carburetor.

11. The combination in an automotive- Vehicle of the engine having a suction intake,

of a liquid fuel combustion device associated Tlierewith, and manual means at the operators station for starti and maintaining said combustion device ln operation independently of the suction-in said intake.

12. The combination in an automotive vehicle of an engine having a suction intake, a liquid fuel combustion device associated with said intake and including electric ignitionmeans, and means at the operators station for conjointly controlling said ignition means and'manually supplying fuel to said combustion device.

13. The combination in an automotive engine, of a carburetor, an'auxiliary fuel jet, a combustion device associated with the latter and a hand operated air pump located at the operators station and connected to said device. r

14. The combination in an automotive engine, of a. carburetor, an auxiliary carburetor, a combustion device for heatin and thereby vaporizing the liquid fuel 0 said auxiliary carburetor, means atthe operators station for controlling the admission of fuel from said auxiliary carburetor to the engine, and other means at ling said combustion device.

15. The combination in an automotive vehicle of an engine-having an intake, 8. liquid fuel combustion device including electric ignition means and communicating with said intake, and manually operated means at the operatorsstation for conjointly operating said combustion device and energizing its said ignition means.

16. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of a carburetor, a liquid fuel burner associated therewith, adapted to be operated by the suction effect of the engine and means for independently supplying a fuel spraying pressure to said burner.

17. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the carburetor, of a liquid fuel burner having an outlet for its combustion products opening into the' path through the carburetor and adapted for operation by the engine suction, and means for supplying fluid pressure to-said burner for operating the same. v

18. In an internal combustion engine, a

of fuel and air,

said station for controlticles' to be directed toward the carburetor, a liquid fuel burner associated therewith, -means for supplying operatm fluid pressure thereto and a check-valv escape for combustion products therefrom.

19. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the intake including the carburetor, of a burner associated therewith having .a connection by which suction is imparted thereto from the intake, means for supplying any operating fluid pressure to said burner and a non-return outlet leading from said burner to a take.

20. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the engine intake, means for producing an engine operating mixture point outside the inand adapted to .be operated by the suction efi'ect of said intake and fluid pressure means for operatingsaid burner including an air jet arranged to induce an inward flow of combustion supporting air in said burner.

21. In an internal combustion engine,the combination of a main iliary carburetor and a liquid fuel burner adapted to be operated either by the suctioneffect of the engine or by pressure applied to it.

22. In an internal combustion engine, the combination withthe suction intake including a carburetor, a suction burnbr connected thereto and including suction-operated fuelspraying means, pressure means for spraying fuel in the burner and an 'igniter in the burner.

23. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a suction burner, containing an igniter, pressure means to spray fuel therein, a well to receive liquid fuel in the bufiier and an air jet in the bottom of said we 24. The combination" of a suction intake, a suction burner having suction-operating fuel spraying and air admission means, an electric igniter and additional fuel spraying means for producing an electrically ignitable fuel mixture in said burner. v

25. In a combustion engine, the combination with the intake including a carburetor, of a liquid fuel burner connected to said-intake and adapted tobe operated by the normal engine suction eflect therein, and means independent of the engine for increasing the pressure difference by which said burner is operated.

26. In a suction burner for internal combustion engines, the combination with a body providing a combustion chamber communicating with the engine intake, of means for directing a jet of fuel into the chamber,

means for, collecting fuel particles from the.

first jet and for causing a jet of these parfirst jet, and means for igniting the fuel.

27. In a suction burner for internal coma burner associated therewithcarburetor, an auxbustion engines, the combination with a burner body in communication with the engine intake, said body including a combustion chamber, of a fuel nozzle for admitting 6 fuel spray, ignition means for said spray,

and means providing'a bubbler orifice 'located in the bottom of said body back of the ignition means for mixing air with fuel tending to collect in the bottom of the 10 burner. I

28. Ina suction burner for an internal combustion engine having an intake, the

combination with a burner body in communication with the engine intake, said body including a combustion chamber, of a fuel duct connected with the combustion chamher, said body being provided with a bubbler orifice through the bottom thereof for mixing air with fuel tending to collect in the bottom of the burner.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

JOHN GOOD. 

